Cigarette case



Jan. 31, 1933. MUDD 1,896,008

C IGARETTE CASE Filed April 11, 1932 mummy;- ZPoZ/a EMac/a,

Patented Jan. 31, 1933 PATENT OFFICE RoLLA n mmn, or cIIIc'AGo, ILLINOISCIGARETTE cAs E Application filed April 11,

t inventionrelates to improvements in cigarette cases, and itconsists'in V the combinations, construct1 0ns,"- and arrangementsherein described and claimed,

" An object of my invention is ftoprovide a novel cigarette case'whichjma be conveniently carried,'- and whichfi's a ap'tediorbeing-operated by a single-hand 'ofthe user for removing the cigarettestherefrom.

1O A further object of my invention is to pro vide' a novel cigarettecase in which only a few of the cigarettes contained therein will beexposed when the case is opened for removing the cigarettes therefrom.

A further object is 'to provide a cigarette case having only a smallopening" therein whereby the cigarettes may be removed therefrom, butwhich opening is so arranged that the cigarettes may be convenientlyremoved.

A further object is to -provide a cigarette case'having an openingtherein whereby the 'cigarettes may be removed from the case,

and being further provided'with a self-closing door normally positionedfor closing the opening.

A further object is to provide a cigarette "case having a small openingtherein whereby the cigarettes maybe removed from'the case and a doorfor normally closing the opening, said cigarettefca-s'e being furtherprovided with means whereby the cigarettes disposed withinthe case maybe moved away from the opening whenthe door' is in its closed posi-Other objects and advantages will appear. in thefollowing specification,and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointedoutin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part ofthisapfplication, in which Figure lis a side elevation of a cigarettecase embodying my invention. a portion of the device being shown insection,

Figure 2 is atop plan view of my device,

Figure 3 is an end elevation'of my device,

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line et-f Figure'l, A 1 Figure 5isan elevational view of a modi- 5 fied formofnmy d and 1932. Serial no.04,611

Figure 6 is asection taken along the line 6 6 of Figure 5.;

In carrying out casing l-comprising side portions 2, a top portion 3, abottom portion 4, an end portion 5, and an opposite end portion 6. Thecasingmay be formed of any suitable sheet metal. A corner ofthe casingis cut away by cutting away a portion of the sides 2,

the top '3, and the end 5 for providing an opening in communication withthe interior of the casing.

The end 5 is provided with rolled or loop portions 7. A- door or covermember 8 is provided and may be formed from-the same or 5 similarmaterial to that from which the casing 1 is made. 7 The door 8 is formedfor providing anend thereof with a pair' of loop portions 9 andcamportions .10 which are continuous-with the loop vportions 9. The

loop portions 9 are disposed in spaced-apart positions, as shown inFigures '2 and 3, and

are positioned between the loop portions? of the'casing LA." pin 11extends through the loop portions 7 and 9 for hingedly connecting thecover 8 with the end portion 5. The pin'll is provided withhead portions12 for retaining thepin 11 in position. A coil spring 13 'is disposed onthe pin 11' and positioned between the rolled portions 9 of the door 8and has an end 14 in engagement'with the cover 8,

and the otherend 15 in engagement'with the "end portion 5of the casing.The spring 13 is for the purpose of 'yieldingly holding the door 8 inits closed pos'itionshown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. The door 8 isfurther prov'ided witha' rolled end portion 16 so that the door maybe'easily actuated by the operator.

The side portions 2 of the casing are provided' with aligned indentedportions 17 which are positioned in spaced-apart relationship withrespect to the end portion 5 of the casing 1. 'A leaf spring member 18is dis posed withinthe casing 1 and may be constructed of any suitablelight spring ma teriaL- The width of the spring member 18 issubstantially equal to the distance between 'the side portions 2 of thecasing. A portion of the leafuspring member 18 is positioned myinvention I provide a I between the indented portions 17 and the endportion 5 of the casing, and is provided with recessed edges 19 forreceiving the indented portions 17 It will be noted on referring toFigure 1 that when the door 8 is in its closed position or is beingmoved to its closed position, the cam portions 10 engage the springmember 18 for holding the top portion of the spring member 18 inspaced-apart relationship with respect to the end portion 5 of thecasing.

When the spring member 18 is in the position shown in Figure 1, thecigarettes 20 are moved to their dotted line positions so that they willnot engage the door 8 when it is being closed,'which would result in thecigarettes being crushed or broken. When the door 8 is moved by theoperator to its dotted line position 8a, the'spring member 18 will moveto its dotted line position 18a, at which time the cigarettes20 may bewithdrawn from the case.

The top portion 3 of the case is provided with a stamped-out loopportion 21 for receiving a ring or annular member 22 so that the casemay be connected with a chain or the like. The top portion 3 is furtherprovidedwith a raised portion 23 for preventing the operators fingerfrom slipping from the case when the door 8 is being opened.

In Figure 5, I have shown a modified form of my device which comprises abox portion 24 having a cover portion 25 hingedly connected therewith,as at 26. The box portion 24 comprises a bottom portion 27 having a topflange portion 28, a bottom flange portion 29, and an end flange portion30. The cover por- "tion 25 is likewise provided with a top flangeportion 31 and an end flange portion 32. In Figure 5. the cover portionis shown in its open position whereby the box may be filled withcigarettes. When the cover portion is closed, it is disposed in asuperposed position on the box 24, at which time the flange portions ofthe cover will be in engagement and alignment with the respective flangeportions of the bottom of the box.

It will be noted thatthe bottom portion 27 and the flange portions 28and 30 connected therewith, together with the cover portion 25 and theflange portions 31 and 32 connected therewith, are provided with cutawayportions so that when the cover 25 is disposed in its superposedposition with respect to the box portion 24 that the case will beprovided with an opening therein similar to that described for thecasing 1.

A continuous strip of material 33 is positioned on the inner sides ofthe flange portions of the box portion 24 and comprises a part of thebox portion or casing. The continuous stripof material terminates in U-shaped end portions 34 and 35 which extend around and may be connectedwith edges of the flange portions 28 and 30, respectively.

The width of the strip of material 33 is substantially equal to thedistance between the bottom portion 27 and the cover portion 25 when thecover portion 25 is disposed in its superposed position with respect tothe box portion.

It will thus be noted that the width of the strip of material 33 issubstantially equal to the combined inner Widths of the flange portion28 and the flange portion 31 so that when the cover 25 is disposed inits closed position, the end portion of the flange portion 31 ad jacentthe opening will be disposed within the U-shaped portion 34, apdlikewise the end portion of the flange portion 32 adjacent the openingwill be disposed within the U shaped portion 35, at which time theU-shaped portions 34 and 35 will tend to reenforce the edges of theflange portions 31 and 32, respectively, of the cover. M

The U-shaped portion 35 is provided with cut-outportions so that a door36 which is similar in construction to the door 8 shown in Figure 1 maybe hingedly connected therewith. A leaf spring member 37 similar'to theleaf spring member 18 is connected with the strip of material 33 by anysuitable means, such as soldering or rivets. The door member 36 isprovided with a cam portion 38 similar to the cam portion 10 connectedto 7 tle door 8, for actuating the spring member 3 When the coverportion 25 is in its closed position, it may be connected with the boxportion of the case by any suitable" catch means, not shown. Vhen thecase shown in Figure 5 is closed, the operation thereof for removing thecigarettes therefrom will be substantially the same as that for removingthe cigarettes from the container shown in Figure 1.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily understood. When it is desired to fillthe casing 1 with cigarettes, the door 8 is moved to the dotted lineposition 8a and held in that position, during which time cigarettes maybe inserted through the opening in the casing until the casing is full.

When the door 8 is released, it will be moved by the spring 13 to itsclosed position shown in Figure 1, and during the movement thereof, thecam portion 10 will move the 0 spring member 18 so that the cigaretteswill L0 not hinder the closing of the door 8 nor be crushed by the door.The same operation of course takes place when it is desired to removeone or more cigarettes from the case. m It will be noted that the doorcloses with a snap action so that if the casing is dropped while thedoor 8 is open, the door will'close before the casing can fall to theground and thereby prevent the cigarettes from falling out of the caseor becoming soiled. 1

The action for the form of my device shown in Figure 5 is the same asthat described in connection with the device shown in Figure 1, exceptthat the cover portion 25 may be swung open, as shown in Figure 5, sothat the box portion may be filled. After the box portion has beenfilled, the cover 25 may be closed and the cigarettes may then. beremoved from the case by actuating the door 36 in the same manner, ashas been described in regard to actuating the door 8 for removing thecigarettes from the casing 1.

I claim:

1. A cigarette container comprising a casing having an opening therein,a door movably connected with the casing and adapted for closingtheopening, means operatively associated with the door for moving thesame to its closed position, and means for moving the cigarettes in. thecontainer away from the opening when the door is moved to its closedposition.

2. A cigarette container comprising a casing having an opening therein,a door hinged- 1y connected with the casing and adapted for closing theopening, a resilient member disposed within the casing and operable bythe door for moving the cigarettes in the container away from theopening when the door is moved to its closed position, and spring meansfor moving the door to, and yieldingly retaining the door in, its closedposition.

3. A cigarette container comprising a casing having an openlng therein,a door inged- 1y connected with the casing and adapted for closing theopening, a resilient member disposed within the casing and operable bythe door for moving the cigarettes in the container away from theopening when the door is moved to its closed position, and meansconnected with the door and adapted for engagement with the resilientmember for moving the resilient member when the door is moved.

4. A cigarette container comprising a rectangular casing having a cornercut away for providing an opening therein, a door hingedly connectedwith a side of the casing and normally positioned for closing theopening, and a resilient member disposed within the casing and operableby the door for moving the cigarettes in the container away from theopening when the door is moved to its closed position.

I 5. A cigarette container comprising a rectangalar caslng having acorner cut away for providing an opening therein, a door hingedlyconnected with aside of the casing and normally positioned for closingthe opening, a resilient member disposed within the casing and operableby the door for moving the cigarettes in the container away from theopening when the door is moved to its closed position, and spring meansoperatively connected with the door for moving the door to, andyieldingly retaining the door in its closed position.

6. A cigarette container comprising a rectangular casing having a cornercut away for providing an opening therein, a door hingedly connectedwith a side of the casing and normally positioned for closing theopen-ROLLA E. MUDD.

